By Shulamite Owhoekevbo
The Delta State Government has intensified efforts to enforce punctuality and regular attendance among public servants as part of its renewed commitment to improving productivity in the civil service.
Speaking to journalists at the Prof. Chike Edozien State Secretariat Complex, the Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Mininim Oseji, revealed that the decision follows widespread complaints about lateness and absenteeism among government workers—issues she said have adversely affected service delivery.
Despite the implementation of a rotational roster system that allows workers on salary grade levels 1 to 14 to take two days off one week and three days the next, many employees still fail to report to work on time.
To address this, Dr. Oseji announced the introduction of a lateness form that must be filled out by defaulting staff, requiring them to state the reasons for their tardiness. These submissions will be reviewed by a monitoring team from the Office of the Head of Service, which will assess the excuses and proffer necessary solutions where applicable.
She further disclosed that the previous biometric clock-in and clock-out system was largely ineffective due to equipment malfunctions and the absence of backend reporting capabilities. However, the government is working to resolve these technical issues to enhance accountability.
Dr. Oseji urged all public servants to reciprocate the government’s goodwill by being punctual and productive, noting that this is the least expected of them.
“With continued sensitization and the identification of challenges faced by workers, we are hopeful that attendance, punctuality, and overall productivity will significantly improve,” she added.